Teens Give Another All-star Performance

August 17, 2002|By Sharon Robb STAFF WRITER

FORT LAUDERDALE — Teenagers Natalie Coughlin and Michael Phelps walked away from the Phillips 66 Summer National Swimming Championships with a fistful of records, national titles and the U.S. team's high expectations for the future resting on their shoulders.

Giving perhaps a glimpse of what the 2004 Athens Olympics may bring, Coughlin and Phelps dominated Friday night action at the International Swimming Hall of Fame Aquatic Complex.

Coughlin, 19, of California Aquatics won her fifth event in five days with another record performance. She broke the oldest American women's record, the 200-meter backstroke. She won in 2:08.53, breaking Betsy Mitchell's mark of 2:08.60, set in 1986.

Coughlin is the second person since 1962 to win five titles at a single national championship meet. The last swimmer was former University of Florida All-American Tracy Caulkins, who won the 200-meter butterfly, 100- and 200-meter breaststroke and 200- and 400-meter individual medley events at the 1978 Summer Nationals.

Coughlin also won the 100 backstroke, 100 butterfly and 100- and 200-meter freestyle this week. She broke the world record in the 100 backstroke.

"My plan was to just take it out and see where it got me," Coughlin said. "It was my best time by three-and-a-half seconds, so I was pleased, especially after this long week. I'm a little tired right now."

Phelps, 17, of North Baltimore Aquatic Club, won his fourth event. He overtook Ian Crocker, who was on world record pace for the first 100 meters, in the final 50 to win the 100-meter butterfly in 51.88, breaking Crocker's American record of 52.25. Phelps was .07 seconds off the world mark.

Phelps won four of the five events he competed in this week. He broke the world record in the 400-meter individual medley, two American records in the 100-meter butterfly and 200 IM and won the 200 butterfly. He was also third in the 200 freestyle.

"I didn't expect [the American record] at all," Phelps said. "I knew Crocker would be very, very hard to beat, and I knew he would go out fast. My goal was pretty much to get out with him and give it everything I could."

It was only fitting Coughlin and Phelps shared the Phillips 66 Performance of the Meet Award with their two world record performances -- Coughlin in the 100 butterfly and Phelps in the 400 IM. They were also awarded the Kiphuth Award for most points in a meet. Coughlin's coach, Teri McKeever of the University of California, was named the George Haines Coach of the Meet.

In other finals of the night, Erik Vendt of North Easton, Mass., won the 1500-meter freestyle (15:03.49) and Diana Munz of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, won the 800-meter freestyle (8:29.02) for her 20th national title.

The meet concludes today at 9 a.m. with timed finals in the women's 1500-meter freestyle and men's 800-meter freestyle.